Apple Ginger Punch

Apple ginger punch is a delicious concoction of apple cider, ginger beer, pomegranate juice, bourbon, and sparkling wine.  

Punch doesn’t have the same meaning as it once did when I was a kid. Punch used to mean super sweet juice that made made my tongue red. (Hello, Hawaiian Punch and Cool-Aid!)

Now when I hear punch, I’m hoping the word bourbon (or tiki) proceeds it.

This is the perfect large batch cocktail to make for all your autumn and winter gatherings. Use this recipe over and over from Halloween through New Year’s Eve.

It pairs wonderfully with all the traditional Thanksgiving fare: turkey, stuffing, brown butter pecan pie, pumpkin pie, and slab apple pie.

Before we eat, a drink is in order. Let’s cheers with a cup or two of this apple ginger punch! 

Apple Bourbon Punch

There are no rules when it comes to punch. You can mix up whatever you’d like. Use the season as inspiration, use your favorite fruits and scents, or mix up whatever you have in kitchen.

Just be sure to incorporate three key ingredients: booze, a little something sweet, and a touch of tart.

This apple ginger punch is exactly what I want to be sipping on come Thanksgiving day.

While it’s a bit boozy due to mixture of sparkling wine, bourbon, ginger liqueur, and orange liqueur, it is well balanced by the fresh apple cider, pomegranate juice, and lemon juice.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Whiskey: Use your choice of whiskey or bourbon. Aged rum is another good option.
• Orange Liqueur: Recommend Cointreau or Grand Marnier. It adds a nice floral citrus note.
• Ginger Liqueur: The most recognizable brand of ginger liqueur is Domaine de Canton. You can’t miss it’s interestingly shaped bottled on display. It is a brandy-based liqueur with spicy ginger flavor mellowed with vanilla and honey.
• Pomegranate Juice: POM Wonderful is the most popular brand of pomegranate juice. Use 100% pomegranate juice!
• Apple Cider: The labeling of apple cider and apple juice varies from state to state. For this recipe, I suggest using “unfiltered apple juice.” This juice is a bit cloudier and thicker than your standard apple juice. Apple cider should only have one ingredient- apples!
• Ginger Beer: A sweet, carbonated drink with more kick than ginger ale. However, ginger ale may be substituted in this recipe for a more mellow ginger flavor. Recommend Bundaberg Ginger Beer or Fever-Tree Ginger Beer.
• Sparkling Wine: Use a dry sparkling wine labeled “BRUT.” Brut has the least amount of added sweetness. Options include: Prosecco, Cava, Brut, or Extra Brut sparkling wines

Before serving, I like to add a couple cinnamon sticks in the punch bowl to make it a bit more festive.

It also helps to add a nice aroma without overpowering the flavors of the punch.